Author Description

This setting of the Stabat Mater can be dated either to 1735 or 1736. Just before he died, Pergolesi presented the Neapolitan conductor Giuseppe de Majo with the autograph score in March 1736. The score forms the basis of the present edition (a facsimile can be found in the "Sequenze" volume of the Pergolesi Complete Edition, Rom 1942). On the basis of this source it is probable that the composer conceived the work for two solo voices (soprano and alto); movements 2, 4, and 7 are marked "solo" while numbers 3 and 8 are marked "a2." Otherwise there are no inscriptions. Despite this, the practice whereby movements for 2 voices, or parts of them, are sung by a small choir, is not at variance with the spirit of the work. This score provides the vocal parts and a piano accompaniment. In this edition, the modal key signatures have been transcribed into tonal ones. The small number of editorial additions are given in square brackets. The text variants set to music by the composer have been left intact. The vocal parts of this edition have been edited according to the principles of an Urtext edition. 54 pages.